


Things Are Not Always As They Appear

by GuiltyPleasuresAndDeadlySins



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Gen, How has no-one noticed this before?, I don't think I'm screwing up the timeline..., I'm sorry!, It's 5:50 in the morning okay?, References to Child Abuse, Season 2 spoilers, Snark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-14
Updated: 2013-02-14
Packaged: 2017-11-29 05:41:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/683485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuiltyPleasuresAndDeadlySins/pseuds/GuiltyPleasuresAndDeadlySins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles realizes something they all missed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Things Are Not Always As They Appear

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry okay? So unbelievably sorry! I really don't think I'm messing with the timeline, but this idea just puts... Oh, just read the fic. And review? Please review? (Even if it is just to tell me that I screwed up the timeline)

It took Stiles a while to figure out what had been bugging him about the night Mr Lahey died, longer than it should have, really, but still, things had been hectic and he hadn't had the time to figure it all out, alright? It's when things finally calm down for half a second that he puts together a timeline of what happened (because he likes lists, and timelines and knowing just what the _hell_ actually happened since Kate Argent's death).

So, he draws up a whole timeline, pinning it to his wall and using coloured string to connect bits that are relevant to each other, and it's late one night, with too much Adderall in his system, when he's spinning on his chair that he spots it. A glaring inconsistency in what they thought they knew. So he does the only thing that makes sense. He calls Scott. (And then he texts Derek, because as much of a dick as the Alpha's been, he's had his reasons, and he deserves to see this). They arrive pretty much at the same time, Derek eeling his way in through the window like normal even as the front door goes. Stiles glares at Derek, orders him to 'stay', gets a disgruntled 'Still not a dog', and goes to let Scott in.

Walking back into his room, Stiles wondered whether he should have told them seperately considering the two of them are glaring at each other. (Derek still hasn't forgiven Scott for forgiving Allison for going psychotic and trying to kill his Betas when the reason Derek accidentally caused that entire situation was because Allison's mum had been trying to kill Scott and Derek had been trying to save him and the whole situation had just been exacerbated by Gerard and... Stiles pulls himself up short, because they're not here to rehash that entire argument).

“So, glaring aside, I am sure you're wondering why I've brought you here,” Stiles rubs his hands together. (He gets a blank look from Derek and a snort from Scott at that reference). “I decided to timeline the whole kanima incident. Although... Derek, when did you actually bite Jackson?”

Derek just quirks an eyebrow at him, and Stiles hurries on, because it's not actually relevant to what he's brought them here to discuss.

“Notice anything odd about this point,” he gesticulates in the general direction of where he's got 'Isaac turned' pinned to the wall and 'full moon'.

He gets two blank looks and rolls his eyes.

“Seriously? _Seriously_?! Neither of you are seeing it?”

“Seeing what?” Scott asks.

Stiles really doesn't understand how these werewolves survive without him. They're as dense as anything. He grabs his laser pointer (because he can't be arsed moving) and indicates the two points that have been bugging him (three technically, but still), and understanding dawns in Derek's eyes, while Scott still looks non-plussed. (Don't get him wrong, Scott was awesome, but his grasp of the obvious sometimes left a lot to be desired (his entire relationship with Allison proved that, because control aside, Stiles was _so_ not down with the whole 'Romeo and Juliet' thing they had going on, especially when it seemed kinda likely that the only person dying was going to be 'Romeo')).

Thankfully, Derek says something before Stiles is reduced to beating Scott about the head with his timeline.

“How does that work?” he asks. “I mean... The whole point was revenge, wasn't it?”

And _finally_ the lightbulb goes off in Scott's head.

“Matt didn't take charge of the kanima until the night of the full moon,” Scott says after a moment.

“Nope,” Stiles agrees amicably.

“And Mister Lahey died the night before.”

“Yup.”

“So... Who was in charge of the kanima then?”

“Not Isaac,” Derek states firmly.

“How do you _know_ that?”

“Because...” Derek stops himself, and shakes his head. “I just know okay? And I think you do as well Scott.”

(Stiles does as well, after a manner, thanks to some of the things Scott's said, and a guy who ends up crying because he could help a sick dog isn't someone who is likely to set a...lizard-thing on a guy who he'd been lying for, for however many years (yes, Stiles had stolen Isaac's files after that whole situation and he knew how many times the police/CPS had been called out to the Lahey house, and how many times they'd come away without Isaac)).

“So...” Stiles waves his hands vaguely. “What do we do now?”

“I talk to Jackson,” Derek shrugs.

“What? Why?”

“Because Jackson might be able to explain-”

“Jackson knew Isaac was being abused,” Scott interrupts, blurting it out.

Derek and Stiles share an epiphany, and a moment of 'Oh God, did I really just make exactly the same sound as _him_?!', before Derek heads for the window.

“Still need to talk to Jackson,” he practically growls.

“We're coming with you!” Stiles insists, and amazingly, Derek doesn't argue.

They find Jackson at the lacrosse pitch, practising (because when isn't he when he's not glued to Lydia?). He looks up, and dismisses them.

“Need to talk,” Derek states simply.

“Busy,” Jackson retorts.

“Isaac.”

(And apparently Jackson and Derek have a semi-psychic thing going on, because Stiles who _knows why they're there_ doesn't quite understand that exchange, or why it has Jackson's shoulders slumping).

“What about him?” his voice is still dismissive, but he seems resigned.

And Stiles jumps in. “Less Isaac, more his father dying before Matt took control of the kanima.”

Jackson _freezes_ , looking a little like a rabbit or deer caught in headlights (a little like Isaac when you startle him). “Oh.”

“Oh? That's _it_?!” Scott sounds incensed, because he listened to that 'interview' with Stiles' Dad, and knows what Jackson said, but Derek's hand on the back of his neck is preventing him from lunging forward.

Derek has a thoughtful look on his face. “When did you stop?”

“Eighth grade,” Jackson shrugs.

“Why?”

“Lahey... _Isaac_ didn't come to school for three days.”

Derek nods and Jackson ducks his head. Stiles kind of feels like he's been punched in the gut, because Jackson is an _asshole_ , Jackson is not supposed to stop telling people the guy who lives across the street from him is being abused because telling someone is just _making it worse_ and Jackson doesn't want to do that. (And if what happened then is what Stiles thinks happened, because he didn't see it, didn't even see the photos, but the _idea_ of the freezer and what happened to Isaac is enough to give him nightmares, he's actually kind of thankful that Jackson shut up).

Which, is when they realize that Isaac is sort of hovering on the edge of the pitch. (Which Derek has to have known and Scott and Jackson somehow missed). And Stiles feels like a _dick_ for not calling Isaac as well, because this kind of pretty much _revolved around him_. And it _should not be possible_ for all (around) six foot of Isaac to look _that much_ like a kicked puppy.

Derek jerks his head, a soft growly sound echoing in his throat and Isaac _slinks_ over to them, head ducked, hands stuffed into his pockets, shoulders slouched. The Alpha doesn't stop making the noise, and Isaac's shoulders loosen a tiny bit (and so do Jackson's), and Stiles kind of feels like he and Scott are intruding (and really, Scott and Derek need to bury the hatchet (literally if they have to, and Stiles will _buy_ them the shovel to do it) because all the tension between _them_ is clearly not helping the tension between Isaac and Jackson).

And then Isaac does something Stiles was _not_ expecting.

“So, uh, thanks? I guess.” Isaac shifts awkwardly, one hand running through his hair.

Jackson looks, if possible, even more uncomfortable than Isaac. “Don't mention it?”

Derek makes an approving noise, and the two Betas sort of shrug, before Derek nods to Jackson, and rests a hand lightly on Isaac's shoulder to direct him towards the Camaro. (Derek nods to Scott and Stiles as well, and Stiles wonders if he's imagining the faint smile that seems to say 'thank you' flickering over Derek's lips). Scott and Stiles have no reason to hang around the field now, so they leave Jackson to his practise and retreat to Stiles' for video games and trying to ignore the fact that Jackson is apparently not as much of an asshole as they previously thought he was.


End file.
